Sales & Deal Management

58% of B2B Buyers Need Presales to Close. Here’s Why.


58% of B2B Buyers Need Presales to Close.

This gap in communication is one of the key reasons why deals stall and opportunities slip through the cracks. If you’re in B2B sales, you’ve likely experienced the frustration of trying to close a deal, only to be held up by questions that could have been addressed earlier in the process.

That’s where presales comes in.

But what exactly is presales, and why is it becoming essential to closing deals faster and more effectively?

In this article, we’ll break it down without the jargon. Let’s show you how software companies like Salesforce are benefitting from presales.

By embracing presales your team can convert more prospects into loyal customers.

What is Presales?

First let’s get this out of the way. Presales is not about cold calling.

It’s about being the expert who can bridge the gap between what your product does and what your customer needs.

You can have the best salespeople in the world, but if the only thing they’re good at is closing deals, you’ll never get long-termcustomer satisfaction.

Here’s the thing, when clients renew their contracts or rave about your product to their colleagues, it’s because presales set them up for success.

✅ A good presales team act as consultants who get to the heart of the problem, demonstrate the solution, and set up your clients for a smooth, successful experience. Without a solid presales process, you’re not just selling a product; you’re setting your clients up for frustration.

If your presales team is on point, your clients will stick around, and they’ll actually use what you’re offering.

So, who belongs on this dream team?

Professionals who work in presales are commonly referred to as Presales Consultants, Presales Engineers, or Solution Consultants.

Some of their key functions include:

  • Product demos and presentations
  • Solution design
  • Proposal creation
  • Technical support and advice
  • Risk management and objection handling
  • Collaboration with sales teams

Salesforce, a leader in CRM and enterprise software, is a prime example of how a well-executed presales team can drive success.

With a product as complex as Salesforce, they’ve mastered the art of understanding client needs before they even sign a contract.

Their presales consultants don’t just demo the product, they tailor it to the customer’s specific challenges, aligning their solution with the client’s business objectives.

💲 No wonder they generated $34.86 billion in the 2024 fiscal year.

Whether you’re a small business looking to understand presales or a growing company wanting to scale your process, this is exactly what you need to do.

Because, let’s face it, having a solid presales team is the difference between a deal that slips through the cracks and one that closes.

Current Challenges in the Presales Process

The presales process is far from simple. Despite its importance, many teams struggle to execute it efficiently. From juggling multiple tools to managing endless customer expectations, presales professionals often find themselves navigating a minefield of obstacles.

1. Fragmented Communication

Fragmented Communication. Image powered by FuseBase.

Presales involves constant back-and-forth between sales teams, internal stakeholders, and clients. With multiple emails, shared drives, and tools in play, key information can get lost or delayed.

This fragmentation leads to slower decision-making and creates a poor client experience.

The Impact:

  • Missed deadlines for proposals or deliverables.
  • Increased frustration for both clients and internal teams.

2. Lack of Transparency

Clients need visibility into the presales process.

When they’re left guessing about next steps or status updates, engagement drops. Internally, teams face similar challenges, struggling to track progress or understand where deals stand.

Image powered by FuseBase.

This results in:

  • Reduced client confidence in your process.
  • Increased workload as teams chase updates or redo work.

3. Inefficient Handoffs Between Teams

Presales doesn’t stop at closing the deal. The transition to onboarding and post-sales is a critical moment where momentum can easily be lost. Without a seamless handoff, important details like client goals or unique requirements can slip through the cracks.

What often comes with this is:

  • Onboarding delays that frustrate clients.
  • A disjointed start to the client relationship.

4. Manual, Repetitive Tasks

Customizing proposals, drafting contracts, and sending follow-ups are necessary but time-consuming. When these tasks are done manually, they drain time and energy that could be better spent on strategic conversations.

The Impact:

5. Stakeholder Alignment

Stakeholder Alignment. Image powered by FuseBase.

B2B deals often involve multiple decision-makers, each with unique priorities and concerns. Coordinating feedback, addressing objections, and keeping everyone on the same page can be overwhelming without a clear process.

The negative of this is:

  • Prolonged decision cycles.
  • Increased risk of miscommunication or disengagement.

6. Unclear Client Engagement

How do you know if a client is truly invested in the deal? Without visibility into client activity like whether they’ve reviewed your proposal or engaged with shared materials it’s hard to tailor follow-ups effectively.

You’ll then see:

  • Missed opportunities to address client concerns.
  • Poor timing on follow-up actions.

7. Disconnected Tools

Many teams rely on a patchwork of tools for communication, document sharing, and tracking progress. While each tool may work well on its own, switching between them creates silos, increases errors, and slows down the presales process.

What you get:

  • Wasted time on tool management.
  • Higher risk of losing critical information.

How FuseBase Improves the Presales Process

FuseBase tackles these challenges head-on with a platform built for presales teams.

📈 In 2024, we expanded FuseBase to include specific features for presales.

These improvements help streamline client engagement, boost collaboration, and provide data-driven insights. Our platform makes it easier for teams to close deals faster and reduces the complexity that often slows the process.

1. Centralized Digital Sales Rooms

Centralized Digital Sales Rooms. Image powered by FuseBase.

FuseBase transforms the traditional sales deck into a dynamic, interactive digital sales room. These rooms provide a single source of truth for presales activities, including:

  • Tailored content for decision-makers. Share personalized resources that resonate with each stakeholder.
  • Streamlined stakeholder alignment. Ensure all parties (both visible and hidden) are engaged and informed.
  • Activity tracking and insights. Get real-time updates on buyer engagement, allowing teams to pivot strategies proactively.
🤝 The outcome? Shorter sales cycles and stronger buyer confidence.

2. White-labeled Client Portals for Presales and Beyond

White-labeled Client Portals for Presales and Beyond. Image powered by FuseBase.

FuseBase eliminates the handoff friction between presales and post-sales by introducing client portals that persist throughout the customer journey.

  • A unified client experience. From initial discovery to onboarding, maintain consistency in communication and content.
  • Transparency and trust-building. Enable clients to access key documents, timelines, and updates in one place.
  • Collaboration made easy. Allow teams to co-create solutions directly within the portal, fostering a consultative selling approach.

I have introduced new clients to the client portal and knowledge base for one of our main consulting areas and noticed the improvement we did not expect – we’ve done away with all those confusing links. I think FuseBase’s unified link for client portals is a must have for startups and I would recommend this tool to anyone who needs a scalable and user friendly tool.
Michael M, CEO

3. AI-Powered Insights and Workflow Automation

Presales teams often spend too much time on repetitive tasks, leaving little room for strategic thinking.

FuseBase uses AI to streamline these processes:

  • Smart automation. Reduce manual data entry, proposal creation, and follow-ups.
  • Prescriptive analytics. Receive actionable insights on which opportunities to prioritize and how to approach them.
  • Workflow integrations. Connect with existing CRM and collaboration tools to avoid siloed data.

4. Empowering Sales Teams to Focus on Selling

Sales reps today spend less than 36% of their time selling. FuseBase flips this script by:

  • Consolidating tools to minimize context-switching.
  • Organizing resources in an intuitive, client-ready format.
  • Providing data-backed recommendations on the next best action.
🙌 This gives you more time spent selling and less time wasted on admin work.

With FuseBase, presales is no longer a bottleneck. It becomes a strategic advantage that accelerates deals, aligns stakeholders, and sets the tone for long-term success.

By simplifying complex workflows and enhancing client interactions, FuseBase ensures your team stands out in competitive markets.

Try FuseBase, Close Deals

Why Presales is the Future of B2B Sales

The B2B sales market is changing all the time. Buyers today are more informed, have higher expectations, and demand personalized experiences that go beyond the traditional sales pitch.

In this context, presales is no longer just a phase, it’s an indispensable part of delivering value, building trust, and closing deals.

🫂 Presales enhances sales, it doesn’t replace it

Presales isn’t about sidelining sales teams. It’s about empowering them.

By working in tandem with sales, presales:

  • Adds technical depth and solution expertise to conversations.
  • Strengthens the value proposition with personalized demos and tailored solutions.
  • Builds confidence with buyers, addressing concerns and reducing hesitation.

Rather than taking away from the sales process, presales enriches it, ensuring deals close faster and with greater alignment.

🛍 Meeting the new standard for service delivery

The level of service buyers now expect is higher than ever. Presales ensures:

  • Buyers feel supported and understood from the first interaction.
  • Detailed, tailored solutions are delivered, matching the complexity of their needs.
  • Transparency and clarity, removing roadblocks that might derail the deal.

Presales sets the tone for the exceptional delivery experience buyers expect, starting well before the contract is signed.

👩‍💻 Solving the complexity of B2B buying

In a typical B2B deal, seven to 11 stakeholders are involved, each with unique priorities.

Presales plays a pivotal role in:

  • Aligning these diverse interests by delivering insights and data that resonate with every decision-maker.
  • Addressing objections quickly and effectively, keeping deals on track.
  • Providing a structured, consultative approach that simplifies the decision-making process.

This strategic involvement turns complexity into clarity, helping buyers move forward confidently.

As the demands of B2B buyers continue to evolve, presales is becoming the cornerstone of delivering exceptional value.

It doesn’t replace the sales process, it elevates it, helping companies meet the modern buyer’s expectations while closing deals faster and more effectively.

If this resonated and you want to take the first step towards better presales, contact our team today.

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